Machine for forming hinge joints in cased books



July 7, 1959 R. L.- SCHOENBERQER, JR 2,893,922

MACHINEFOR FQRMING HINGE JoINTs IN cAsED Boox's Filed sept. 5. 1956 Y 14 sheets-sheet 1 Jl Hl ivzeys July 7, |959 R. L SCHOENBERGER, JR 2,893,022

I MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JOINTS IN CASED BOOKS Filed sept. 5, 195e 14 Sheets-Sheetv 2 July 7, 1959 R. l.. SCHOENBERGER, JR 2,893,022

MACHINE FOR FORMINO HINGE JOINTS IN CASED BOOKS Filed Sept. 5, 195

14 Sheets-Sheetv 3 July 7, 1959 R. L scHoENBERGER, JR 2,893,022

MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JOINTS IN CASED BOOKS' Filed sept. 5. 195e 14 sheets-sheet 4 Nw l www@ ww Q.

July 7, 1959 R. l.. SCHOENBERGER, JR L 2,893,022

MACHINE FORv FORMING HINGE JOINTS IN CASED BOOKS y med sept. s. 195e 14 sheetslsheet s FLE. E

-July 7, 1959 R. l.i SCHOENBERGERQJR 2,893,022

MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JolNTs 1N cAsED Booxs Filed sept. 5. 195e 14 Sheets-Shea?l 6 R. l.. scHoENBERGER, JR MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JONTS IN CASED BOOKS V July 7, 1959 i 14 sheets-sheet 7 Filed Sept. 5, 1956 im@ NNN- NNN@ mmf* MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JoINTs IN CASED BOOKS Filed Sept. 5, 1956 July 7, l959 R. L. scHoENBERGER, JR

14 Sheets-Sheet 8 Flfil 14 Sheecs--Sheei'I 9 July 7, 1959 R. L. SCHOENBERGER, JR

MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JorNTs 1N cAsEn Booxs Filed sept. 5, 195e July 7, |959 R. l.. scHoENBERGER, JR 4 2,893,022

MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JOINTS IN CASED BOOKS Filed Sept. 5. 1956 14 Sheets-Sheet 10 Fllf Y July 7 1959 R. L. scHoENBERGER, JR 2,393,022

MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JOIN'IIS- I N CASED BOOKS Filed sept. 5, 195e 14 Sheets-Sheet 11 2,893,022 MACHINE FOR FORMING HINGE JoINTs IN CASED Booxs Filed Sept. 5. 1956 July 7, 1959 R. L. scHoENBERGER, JR

v14 Sheets-Sheet 12* www ' July 7.1959 R. l.. scHoENBERGER, JR 2,893,022 MAcHmEvl-oa FoRMI-NG HINGE roms 1N cAsED Booxs f `Filed sept. 5. 1956 14 sheets-sheet 13 FUE. EE l J70 x X )67 /jo 62 7 9 f2 54@ MI /42 ff i111.. a

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Jully 7, 1959 R. L.' scHoENBERGER, 'JR 2,893,022

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United States Patent,

.i MACHINE `FOR FORMING HINGE JUINTS IN CASED BOOKS Robert L. Schoenberger, Jr., Crawfordsville, Ind., assignor to R. R. Donnelley & Sons Company, a corporation of Delaware Application September 5, 1956, Serial No. 608,168 14 ciaims. (ci. 11-1)` This invention relates to a machine for forming hinge 'jointsin cased books, and in particular it vrelates to a machine in which the books are Vcarried continuously on a conveyor belt and the joint forming irons travel straight forward at the same speed as the books when- .ever they are in gripping engagement with the books.

In the construction of a cased book, the signatures .forming the book are first fastened together by sewing or by patent binding. The unbound book may then be rounded and backed preparatory to receiving the case,

.or cover, after which it passes through a case-in machine which glues the cover to the rounded and backed book. At this point there is no well defined hinge joint in the case of the book, but only a slight looseness where the outer fabric of the case or cover is free of Y .the hard boards of the cover.

In order that the book may open properly, and also to complete the bonding of the end sheets to the case and to the signatures forming the book, the book is then subjected to a joint forming operation which presses grooves into the area along the rear margins of the cover boards. Since the joint forming operation is the last prior to wrapping, book spoilage at this stage is very expensive, so a joint forming machine must be very dependable and not likely to mark or otherwise damage At the same time, in view of the very high speed of modern rotary printing presses it is desirable to speed up all the operations involved in producing a book from the printed signatures, so that a high speed joint former which can operate on a moving line of books is highly desirable. The present invention provides such a machine.

Joint forming devices now in use with continuous book binding machinery are of two general types-the so-called drag type and the intermittent type. In the drag type the books are drawn through fixed forming irons. This obviously has a great tendency to smear or remove color from the book cover, or to damage the book cover in `some other way. It is only suitable for .relatively low speed operation because the more rapid vtravel through the fixed irons increases the likelihood of cover damage.

. The intermittent type moves the books forward stepwise and the forming irons move into nipping contact with the books only while the books are stationary. This'v ordinarily requires either precise spacing or an escapement feeder for proper book movement through the machine. The operation almost eliminates book damage; but any intermittent feed is sharply limited in rate of operation, and the intermittent movement naturally is accompanied by all theusual problems of machine wear, vibration, etc. which are common to such devices. The maximum output of an intermittent joint former is at present limited to about 40 books a minute.

'In accordance with the present invention books may be carried through a 4joint forming machine in random spacing with their joint areas longitudinally aligned and Mice exposed. The joint forming irons move into nipping contact with the exposed areas of the books and simultaneously travel forward at the same speed as the books so that there is no dragging movement between the books and the irons. The irons move away from the books and return to their original positions where they may again close on the books which are carried in theconveyor means. Each book is nipped several times as it passes thro ugh the machine.

Thus, the principal object of the present invention is t0 provide an improved machine for forming hinge joints in cased books, and in particular-to provide ajmachine `which operates at high speed on continuously moving :books without relative movement between'the'booksand Another object of the invention isV to provide ajoint forming machine which may handle a variety of different sized books, and which is quickly and easily adjusted to accommodate various sizes.

A further object of the invention is to provide a'joint forming machine which may handle randomly spaced books. v

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a machine which will produce a high quality book hinge joint and which will simultaneously provide uniform pressure on the book cover to smooth the cover on the book so as to produce a cased book of highest quality.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which: v

Figs. 1 and 1A together provide a side elevationalvie of a machine embodying the invention, with parts of the frame broken away;

Figs. 2 and 2A together provide a plan View of the machine illustrated in Figs. l and 1A, with parts of the frame broken away;

Fig. 3 is an end elevational view of the machine taken from the outfeed end;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken'substantially as indicated along the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated along the line 5 5 of Fig. 2; n

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale taken as indicated along the line 6 6 of Fig. 2A;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional View on an enlarged scale showing the longitudinal drive connection for the upper forming irons, and corresponds to the upper left hand portion of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated along the line 8 8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken as indicated along the line 9 9 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 10 is an elevational view of the toggle operating cam and a fragmentary view of the connecting rod through which the cam operates the toggles for advancing and retracting the joint forming irons;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary section taken as indicated along the line 11 11 of Fig. 10;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary elevational view of a guideway member for the horizontally reciprocating forming iron;

Fig. 13 is a section on an enlarged scale taken as indicated along the line 13 13 of Fig. l2;

Fig. 14 is a front elevational view of the guideway assembly for the forming iron;

Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view on a reduced scale, taken as indicated along the line 15-15 of Fig. 9;

Fig. 16 is a fragmentary elevational view of one of the toggle linkages by which the forming irons are advanced and retracted;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated along the line 17 17 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 18 is a fragmentary sectional view on an enlarged scale taken as indicated along the line 18-18 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 19 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken as indicated along the line 19.-1.9A of Fig. 6.;

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken substantially as indicated along the line 20-20 of Fig. 6, with parts broken away for clarity;

Fig. 21 is a fragmentary end elevational view on an enlarged scale, viewing Fig. 20 from the left;

Fig. 22 is `a fragmentary section on an enlarged scale taken substantially as indicated along the line 22-22 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 23 is a fragmentary transverse sectional view of a cased book lbefore the hinge joint is formed;

Fi-g.- 24 is a fragmentary transverse sectionall view of "a 'closed book with the. joint forming irons. nipping it; and

.Fig-s. 25,. 26 and 27 arey generally diagrammatic views of the mechanism for imparting longitudinal movement 'to the joint'ing irons and for opening and closingl the jointing irons, the irons being closed in Fig. 26 and open in Fig. 27.

Referring to the drawings in greater detail, and referring first to Figs. l-lA and 2-2A, the joint forming machine consists generally of a Iwheeled frame A on which is mounted a drive mechanism B for driving a book conveyor mechanism C and joint forming mechanisrn- D.

The operation which is performed by the machine of the present invention is shown in Figs. 22, 23 and 24, in which Fig- 2.3 illustrates a bookb before it is passed through the machine; and Figs. 22 and 24 illustrate the book as the joint forming mechanism D acts upon it. -In the drawings, the letter c designates the case or cover of a book b, the letter h the hings area of the book prior to joint formation, and the letters the spine of the book. Asseen in` Figs. 22 and 24, the conveyor mechanism C car-ries the book with the spine and hinge area exposed so that the joint forming mechanism D may exert intermittent joint formingpressure upon the book as it is carried through the machine b'y the conveyor mechanism.

Referring now particularly to Figs. l-lA, 2-2A and 3, the frame A of the present machine has a base frame indicated generally at 40 which includes a long cross member 41 at the outfeed end, a short cross member 42- at the infeed end, longitudinal frame members 43 and 44 connecting the cross members, and aV short longitudinal drive frame member 45 which is connected by a diagonal framed member 46 with the longitudinal member 44. The base frame 40 is supported on casters 47- so that it may be readily moved into an assembly line. The space between the longitudinal frame member 44l and the short longitudinal drive frame member 45 is provided with several cross members 48, 49 and 50, andy the member 45 has upright posts 51, 52 and 53v which together provide supports forV the drive mechanism B; while the ends of the longitudinal frame members 43 and 44 are provided with corner posts 54', 55, 56'and-57'which serve as supports for the conveyor mechanism C. The longitudinal frame member 44 also has upright guide members 58 and 59 at its two ends the tops of which are connected by a longitudinal beam 60, and these elements together with upright lower jack screws 61 andv 61a.on.the frame member 44 and depending upper jack screws 62 and 62a on the longitudinal beam. 60 provide support for the forming iron mechanism D.

The frame for conveyor mechanism C includes a fixed lower conveyor frame member, indicated generally4 at I63 in` Fig. 4', which is I-shaped in plan and has end pieces 63aand-63b. (see Figs. 1 and la) bolted, respectively, to the corner posts 54-55 and 56-57, said end pieces, being connected by a hollow square beam 63C. (See Fig. 22.) A movableupper` conveyor frame member, indicated generally'at 64, includes an end piece 64a 75 mounted on jack screws 54a and 55a which surmount the corner posts 54 and 55, an end piece 64b mounted on jack screws 56a and 57a which surmount lthe corner posts 56 and 57, and a hollow square beam 64C connecting the end pieces (see also Figs. 4 and 22).

Referring now particularlyy to Figs. 1A, 2A and 3, the drive mechanism B includes an electric motor 65 which is mounted for vertical sliding movement on a dovetail slotted bracket 66 on upright frame member 52. Below the motor 65 is a main drive shaft 67 provided with a flywheel 68 which is connected by a belt 69 to a pulley 65a on the shaft of the motor 65. A-n adjusting hand wheel and screw 65b are provided to permit the output rate of the machine to be varied. An electric clutch brake unit 70 connects the drive shaft with the input shaft 71a of a gear box 71 through which the book conveyor mechanism C and joint forming mechanism D are driven.

Supported on the upright posts 52 `and 53 which are mounted on the short longitudinal frame member 45 is a drive gear supporting frame member 72 in one end of which is a bearing 73 for an output shaft 71b of the gear box 71, and on said output shaft outside the gear supporting frame is a main drive gear 74 which makes driving connection with lall the driven elements of the machine through a gear Ytrain indicated generally at 75 which is also supported on thegear supporting frame 72. The gear train 75 includes an input gear 76 which is mounted on a stub shaft 7.7y journalled in the support member 72, which meshes with the gear box output gear 74,` and a pair of idler gears 78 and 79 on stub shafts 80 and 81, respectively, mounted in the support member 72, which serve to. carry the drive. from inputV gear 76 to an upper drive gear 82 which is mounted on a stub shaft 83 journalled inthe supporting member 72. Coaxial with` theinput gear 76 is a lower drive sprocket 84 from which a chain 85. meshes with a lower conveyor power transmission sprocket 86 on. a cross shaft 87 which is carried in journals, 88a, 89a and 90a of brackets 88,. 89 and' 90, respectively, on the upright posts 51,. 54, and 55 (see Figs. 2A Iand 3). The cross shaft 87 also carriesa lower conveyor drive sprocket Ias will, be described in connection with the conveyor assembly C.

The upper drive gear 8 2 is coaxial with a sprocket 91 from which an upper conveyor drive chain 92 is connected withV an upper conveyor drive sprocket 93 which is mounted on a stub shaft 94. inl the. upper portion of the bracket 88.

The forming iron mechanism D is driven from the input shaft 77 and from the upper drive shaft 83 as will be explained in detail hereafter.

The conveyor mechanism C includes a lower book supporting conveyor chain unit indicated generally at 95 and anupperV book compressing conveyor chainA unit indicated generally at 96. The conveyor chain units 95 and 96 are fundamentally. alike in their construction, the principal diiference being that the lower unit is fixed while the upper unit is vertically adjustable so that the conveyor mechanism'. may accommodate books of different thicknesses.

As best seen in Figs. l-lA, 2-2A, 4, and 22, xed lower conveyor chain. unit 95 has a book supporting conveyor chain 97 on an idler sprocket 98 and a con- Veyor drive sprocket 99. which arecarried, respectively, on ashaft, 98a in brackets 100./ on the-'corner posts; 56 and 57, andupon the shaft 87. An idler sprocket 101 forI tensioning` the lower conveyor belt 97 is mounted in a pivoted. arm 102 which is carriedV on a bracket 1'03 onlower conveyor framemember 63 so that-,the'sprocket rests on the chain. Pressureof the idler 101 on the chainmay be increased by a screw 104 carried in a threaded bracket 105 on the frame 63;

At the left-hand, or infeed` endV ofthe conveyor,l and coplanar with the book supporting run 97a of the lower conveyor chain 97, is a book guide table 106 which is mounted on suitable brackets attached to the base A. As seen in Fig. 5, the book guide table is provided at one side with a laterally adjustable book face guide 107 which is at the side of the table opposite the joint forming mechanism D, and preferably this book face guide 107 is convexly curved to tit the curved front marginal portion f of a book (see Fig. 22). Adjustment of the face guide is so that the joint forming machine may acoommodate books b of different widths, and regardless of book size the hinge areas h of the books may always be positioned between the irons of the forming mechanism D. Opposite the face guide 102 on the guide table is an infeed guide 108 which is concavely curved to receive the spine s of a book which enters the guide table either as a result of a hand feeding operation or mechanical feeding so as to slide the book along the infeed guide 108 into surface abutting engagement with the book face guide 107 so that as the Ibooks are picked up by the lower conveyor belt 97 they are always correctly positioned for the joint forming operation.

v, The vertically adjustable upper frame member 64 which is carried on the jack screws 54a, 55a, 56a and 57a is provided at its corners with four bearing members numbered, respectively, 109, 110, 111 and 112, and journalled in the bearings 109 and 110 is an upper conveyor drive shaft 113 while in the bearings 111 and 112 is an upper conveyor idler shaft 114, and carried on the shafts 113 and 114 are, respectively, an upper conveyor drive sprocket 115 and an upper conveyor idler sprocket 116.

Trained over the sprockets 115 and 116 is an upper book compressing conveyor chain 117 which may be adjustably tensioned by an idler sprocket 118 which is mounted on an arm 119 pivoted on a bracket 120 on the upper conveyor frame member 64. Movement of a screw 121 in a threaded bracket 122 permits adjustment of belt tension. As seen in Fig. 2A, the drive for the upper chain 117 is from the stub shaft 94 through a universal joint drive 123 to the upper conveyor drive shaft 113.

As seen in Figs. l-lA, 2-2A and 3, the upper conveyor unit 96 is adjusted by means of a longitudinal shaft 124 which is supported in brackets 124a and 124b on longitudinal frame member 43. Gears 124e and 124d on said shaft mesh, respectively, with gears 54b and 56h at the lower endsof jack screws 54a and 56a. A cross shaft 125 on the frame cross member 41 has gears 125:1 and b operatively connecting gear 54b with a gear 55b on jack screw 55a; and an identical cross shaft 126 on frame cross member 42 has a gear (not shown) meshing with gear 54b, and a second gear 126b driving a gear 57b on jack screw 57a. A hand wheel 124e (Fig. 1) journalled in a bracket 124] makes a suitable driving engagement with shaft 124 to effect the adjustment of the chain unit 96.

As seen in Fig. 22, the chain is a modified commercially available flat llink chain having plate-like links such as the links 97b and 117b of the lower and upper conveyor chains, respectively. A round drive lug like the lugs 97C and 117e hingedly connects adjacent plates and also is engaged by rounded teeth of the conveyor sprockets. Welded onto the lower conveyor frame beam 63e is a guide plate 63d having tracks 63e of suitable materiall; and at the extreme outer marginal portions of the links 97b angle members 97d closely embrace the upright faces and the bottom faces of the tracks 63e so that the lower conveyor chain 97 is fully guided and held against lateral movement or vertical play. Similarly, the upper conveyor frame beam 64C has a guide plate 64d provided with tracks 64e which are embraced by angle guide members 117d on the upper conveyor plates 117b so as to tix the position of the upper conveyor chain 117 both laterally and vertically.

. The joint forming mechanism D includes a lower forming iron beam 127 which is provided with threaded brackets 128 by means of which it may be moved vertically on the lower jack screws 61 and 61a, and has guide brackets 129 at its ends which embrace the lower portions of the posts 58 and 59 to guide the beam 127 in its vertical movement. Similarly, there is an upper forming iron beam 130 having hreadedvbrackets 131 by means of which it is supported for vertical movement on the upper jack screws 62 and 62a, and which lhas guide brackets 132 which embrace the upper portions of the posts 58 and 59. Adjustment of the lower forming -iron beam 127 is by means of a longitudinal adjusting rod 133 which is carried in brackets 134 under the central longitudinal beam 44, and said rod 133 has bevel gears 135 at its two ends meshing with bevel gears 61b and 61e on the lower ends of the jack screws 61 and 61a, respectively. Similarly, -adjustment of the upper forming iron beam 130 is elfected by means of an upper adjusting rod 136 which is journalled in brackets 137 on the upper frame member 60 and which has at its ends bevel gears 138 meshing with bevel gears 62b and 62e` which are positioned, respectively, at the upper ends of the upper jack screws 62 and 62a. A rotatable hand wheel 136a journalled in a bracket 1361) on the upper beam 60 makes a suitable driving connection with the shaft 136 to effect the adjustment of the upper forming iron beam; while operation of the lower adjusting rod 133 maybe effected by a similar hand wheel 133a.

As previously pointed out, the present machine is to provide an action upon the book joint forming irons which will move the irons longitudinally forward at the same speed as the books in the conveyor mechanism C and which will also move the irons toward each other so as to exert forming pressure upon the hinge lines of the books. Thus, it is necessary that both the upper and lower forming irons, which nip the hinge areas of the books, shall move in a translatory closed path one side of which is a straight line. This is accomplished by three separate cam controlled mechanisms consisting of separate upper and lower vertical toggle link mechanisms, lindicated Igenerally at 139a and 139b, respectively, to close the irons on the book and retract them; and a single horizontal slider mechanism, indicated generally at 140, to reciprocate both irons longitudinally. The movements produced by the toggle linkage mechanisms 139a and b, and by the slider mechanism 140, are superimposed upon one another; and since the vertical movement may be quite small, while the horizontal movement must be relatively large, the components producing the vertical movement are hung directly upon the forming iron frame members 127 and 130, while the horizontally reciprocating parts 4travel back and forth in suitable guideways in a portion of the mechanism which -is moved vertically by the toggle linkages.

The relationship of the toggle linkage mechanisms to the entire machine is best seen in Fig. 1-1A; with structural details illustrated in Figs. 9 to 18; while the horizontal slider mechanism is best seen in Fig. 6, with the cam control mechanism therefor illustrated in Figs. 19, 20 and 2l.

Referring first to the upper toggle linkage mechanism 139e, the upper forming iron frame member 130 is provided with a series of toggle mounting brackets 141 to receive upper forming iron toggles, indicated generally at 142. As best seen in Figs. 16 to 18, the toggles 142 include mounting pins 143 supported in the brackets 141, upper toggle yokes 144 journalled on said pins, lower toggle yokes 145 joined to the upper toggle yokes by pins 146, and lower toggle pins 147 which extend into slots 130e in the frame member 130 to receive slide blocks 148 which are mounted for vertical sliding movement between gib plates 149.

As best seen in Figs. l-lA and l5, a toggle connecting rod 150 extends through all the upper and lower toggle yokes 144 and 145 and is impaled by all of the toggle Vis best seen in Figs. 6 and 19 to 21.

pins 146 so that movement of connecting rod 150 can move all of the toggle linkages 142 between the solid line and broken line positions of Fig. 16 so as to reciprocate the slide blocks 148 in the gib plates `149.

Reciprocation of the toggle connecting rod 150 to move the toggles 142 is accomplished by a cam mechanism which is best seen in Figs. 2A, 9 to ll, and l5. Referring first to Fig, 2A, a large mounting bracket 151 which is of generally channel formation is supported on the upper forming iron frame member 130 to receive bearing blocks 152 for a stub shaft 153 on which is mounted an upper toggle linkage control cam 154. A universal joint 155 connects the stub shaft 153 with the stub shaft 83 on which are mounted drive gear 82 and .upper conveyor drive sprocket 91. The cam 154 is provided with a ca'm track 154g, and a cam follower roller 150a on 4the toggle connecting rod 150 extends into the cam track 154g so that rotation of the cam 154 causes longitudinal reciprocation of the connectingrod.

The lower forming iron toggle linkage 139b is similar to the linkage 139a, but is inverted. Thus, toggles 156 are mounted on the lower forming iron frame member 127 and are operated by a connecting rod 157 which is provided with a cam follower roller 157a engaged in a cam track 158a of a cam 158 which is identical with cam 154. The cam 158 is mounted on a stub shaft 159 supported in bearing blocks Y160 on a large channel like bracket 161. (See Fig. 9.) The Vlower toggle control cam 158 is driven through a universal joint 162 which connects the stub shaft 159 with the stub shaft 77 on which is mounted input gear 76 of the gear train 75. When the toggles 156 are operated by the connecting rod 157 they impart vertical reciprocating motion to lower slide blocks 163, which are similar to the slide blocks 148 of the upper toggle linkage mechanism 139:1. The arrangement of control cams 154 and 158 is such that Vthe slide blocks move simultaneously toward and then away fromeach other. v p

As .best seenin `Figs.'9, 15, 18 and 22, the slide blocks 148 afford mountings for longitudinalljl extending guide plates 164 which have longitudinal guide slots 16411 provided along their upper surfaces with wear plates 164i). A forming iron member 165 has six support and guide rollers 166 which ride in the guide slots 164:1, and the forming iron member is longitudinally reciprocable between a pair of wear plates 167 and 168 which are mounted, respectively, on the forming iron frame member 130 and on a retaining plate 169 which is mounted on brackets 170 in parallel, spaced relationship to said e frame member. v

Referring especially to Figs. 9 and 22, thelower slide blocks 163 serve as supports for longitudinally extending guide plates 171, having longitudinal guide slots 171er which are provided along their lower margins with wear plates 171b. A forming iron member 172 is provided with support and guide rollers 173 which ride in the guide slots 171:1 to permit the forming iron member 172 to reciprocate between the lower forming iron frame member 127 and a retaining plate 174 whichV is mounted on a bracket 175. The frame member 127 and the retaining plate 174 are provided, respectively, with wear plates =176 and 177 which bear upon the opposite faces of the reciprocable forming iron member y172.

As seen in Figs. 9 and 22, the forming irons 165 and 172 are provided, respectively, with jaw plates 178 and 179 carrying forming jaws 180 and 181, respectively, which are heated by electrical resistance elements 17811 and 179:1, respectively, which are mounted in contact with the jaws and are heated through conventional electric circuits.

Longitudinal reciproca-tion of the joint forming irons 165 and 172 in the guide slots 16421 and 171:1 is accomplished by the horizontal slideway mechanism'140, which The mechanism 8 consists generally of a conjugate cam arrangement 182 mounted upon the inwardly projecting end of the gear box box output shaft 71h, a slide block actuating cam linkage 183 which reciprocates a slide block in a slide block assembly 184, and upper and lower forming iron connecting linkages 185 and 186.

Referring to the operating mechanism 140 in more detail, a bearing bracket 187 on the base frame member 44 provides a mounting for the inner end of the gear boX output shaft 71h, and on the shaft are a large cam 188 and a small cam 189. Flanking the shaft 71b on appropriate supporting members of the base frame are brackets 190 and 191 which are seen in Fig. 19 to be provided with elongated mounting pins 192 and 193, respectively. On the pin -192 is a bifurcated cam lever 194, while on the pin 193 is a cam and drive lever 195. The cam lever 194 is provided with a mounting pin 196 for a cam follower roller 197 and a connecting link 198 which is also linked to a pin 199 mounted in a bifurcated boss 200 (see Fig. 20) on the drive lever 195. Also on the pin 199 is a cam follower roller 201 which rides on the small cam 189, While the cam follower roller 197 of the bifurcated lever 194 rides on the large cam 188. At its upper end the drive lever is connected to a pair of parallel slide block `actuating links 202 which pivotaliy engage a pin 203@ in a slide block 203 of the slide block assembly 184.

The slide block assembly 184 is carried upon a pair of upright mounting brackets 204 and 205 which are seen in Fig. l to be supported at their lower ends upon the longitudinal base frame member 44, and to be secured at their upper ends to the longitudinal beam 60 from which the upper forming iron frame member 130 is suspended. Extending between the support members 204 and 205 is a pair of slide rods 206 on which the slide block 203 is slidably mounted. Also on the members 204 and 205 is a pair of brackets 207 having annular bearers 207e to receive a plunger rod 208 which is supported on a bracket 209 on the slide block 203. The plunger' rod 208 is connected at one end to an air cylinder 210 which acts to cushion the stroke of the slide block in both directions. In addition to the pin 203a for the actuating links 202, the slide block 203 is provided between the guide rods 206 with pins 203b and 203e to which are connected forming iron driving links 185 and 186, respectively. The link 185 is connected to a pin 211 on a pivot plate 212 on the upper forming iron, while the link 186 is connected to a pivot 213 on a pvot plate 212 on the lower forming iron.

The operation of the unit is believed to be plain from the foregoing detailed description, particularly with reference to Figs. 25, 26 and 27. Books b may be fed into the conveyor mechanism c in random relationship with their hinge areas h longitudinally aligned between the joint forming irons so that the jaws 180 and 181 of the irons may close on the hinge area to form the hinge joints j of the books (Fig. 24). The forming irons may move forward at the same speed as the books through the operation of the conjugate cams 182 acting through the slide block mechanism 184. As they are thus travelvling forward in the guideways 171a and 164:1 the toggle linkage mechanism acts to close the jaws upon the line of books contained in the conveyor mechanism. The relationship between the conjugate cams 182 and the toggle control cams 154 and 158 is such that the jaws are retracted while they are still travelling forward with the books, and immediately upon retraction of the jaws the conjugate cam system reverses the movement of the slider mechanism 184 so as to carry the forming irons back to their starting points. Thus, each of the forming irons moves in a translatory closed path, one sid of which is a straight line.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limitations should be understood therefrom, as modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book gripping conveyor means for moving cased books continuously forward through said frame with their hinge areas exposed in longitudinal alignment; a heated pair of opposed, parallel, long joint forming irons coplanar with the aligned hinge areas of several books in the conveyor means; iirst cam controlled linkage means on the frame operatively connected to said irons to reciprocate them longitudinally in a relatively long, straight forward stroke at effectively the same speed as books in the conveyor, and in a return stroke; and second cam controlled linkage means on the frame operatively connected to said irons to move the irons straight laterally a very short distance into pressing engagement with the hinge areas of said books early in the forward stroke and retract them near the end of said stroke, said first and second linkage means cooperating to move the irons conjointly in opposed, closed, translatory paths which have a straight line forward stroke.

2. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book gripping conveyor means for moving cased books continuously forward through said frame with their hinge areas exposed in longitudinal alignment; supporting ,link means on the frame; a pair of parallel longitudinally extending llong straight guideway members carried by said supporting link means flanking the conveyor; actuating means on the frame operatively connected to said guideway members to move them toward and away from each other in a very short stroke; a heated, long forming iron supported for longitudinal reciprocation in each of said guideway members, said irons being coplanar with the hinge areas of books in the conveyor; and cam and link means on said frame operatively connected to the joint forming irons to reciprocate them longitudinally in a relatively long, straight forward stroke at effectively the same speed as books in the conveyor, and in a return stroke, said actuating means and said cam and link means being coordinated to close the forming irons on the hinge areas of books in the conveyor means early in the forward stroke and retract them near the end of said stroke.

3. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book gripping conveyor means for moving cased books continuously forward through said frame with their hinge areas exposed in longitudinal alignment; first and second toggle linkages on the frame; a longitudinally extending straight guideway member carried on each of said toggle linkages, said guideway members being parallel to and flanking the conveyor; actuating means on the frame for conjointly extending and collapsing said toggle linkages; a heated, long forming iron supported for longitudinal reciprocation in each of said guideway members said irons being coplanar with the hinge areas of books on the conveyor; and cam and links means on said frame operatively connected to the joint forming irons to reciprocate them longitudinally in a forward stroke at elfectively the same speed as books in the conveyor, and in a return stroke, said actuating means and said cam and link means being coordinated to close the forming irons on the hinge areas of books in the conveyor means at the beginning of the forward stroke and retract them at the end of said stroke.

4. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book gripping conveyor means for moving cased books continuously forward through said frame with their hinge areas exposed in longitudinal alignment; a plurality of upper toggle linkages mounted on the frame with their toggle joints longitudinally aligned; a plurality of lower toggle linkages mounted on the frame with their toggle joints longitudinally aligned; a longitudinally extending straight guideway member carried on each of said toggle linkages, said guideway members being parallel and flanking the conveyor; upper and lower connecting rods pivotally connected, respectively, to the hinge joints of said upper and lower toggle linkages; actuating means on the frame operatively connected to said connecting rods for conjointly extending and collapsing said toggle linkages; a heated, long forming iron supported for longitudinal reciprocation in each of said guideway members said irons being coplanar with the hinge areas of books in the conveyor; and cam and link means on said frame operatively connected to the joint forming irons to reciprocate them longitudinally in a forward stroke at effectively the same speed as books in the conveyor, and in a return stroke, said actuating means and said cam and link means being coordinated to close the forming irons on the hinge areas of books in the conveyor means early in the forward stroke and retract them near the end of said stroke.

S. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books; a frame; book gripping conveyor means for mo'ving cased books continuously forward through said frame with their hinge areas exposed in longitudinal alignment; supporting link means on the frame; a pair of parallel longitudinally extending straight guideway members carried by said supporting link means flanking the conveyor; actuating means on the frame operatively connected to said guideway members to move them toward and away from each other; a heated, long forming iron supported for longitudinal reciprocation in each of said guideway members said irons being coplanar with the hinge areas of books in the conveyor; a longitudinal slideway on said frame; a slider member on said slideway; slider actuating means to reciprocate said slider member on the slideway in a forward stroke at effectively the same speed as books in the conveyor, and in a return stroke; and a link operatively connecting said slider member to each joint forming iron, said actuating means and said slider actuating means being coordinated to close the forming irons on the hinge areas of books in the conveyor means early in the forward stroke and retract them near the end of said stroke.

6. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book gripping conveyor means for moving cased books continuously forward through said frame with their hinge areas exposed in longitudinal alignment; supporting link means on the frame; a pair of parallel longitudinally extending straight guideway members carried iby said supporting link means flanking in the conveyor; actuating means on the frame operatively connected to said guideway members to move them toward and away from each other; a heated, long forming iron supported for longitudinal reciprocation in each of said guideway members, said irons being coplanar with the hinge areas of books in the conveyor; a pair of conjugate cams rotatably mounted on the frame; a pair of links pivotally mounted on the frame, one of said links being a drive link which has a free end and each of said links having a cam follower engaged with one of said conjugate cams; link means interconnecting said pair of links, said cams, links and link means cooperating to move the free end of the drive link generally longitudinally of the frame in a forward stroke at effectively the same speed as books in the conveyor, and in a return stroke; and means operatively connecting the free end of said drive link to the joint forming irons to reciprocate them in said guideway members, said actuating means and said conjugate cams being coordinated to close the forming irons on the hinge areas of books in the conveyor means early in the forward stroke and retract them near the end of said stroke.

7. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book gripping conveyor means for moving cased books continuously forward through said frame with their hinge areas exposed in longitudinal alignment; supporting link means on the frame; a pair ofA parallel longitudinally extending straight guideway assenze:

members f carried byA said supporting link meansl llankingtfV the? conveyor; actuating means" on thefframe operativelyV conected ftosaidwguideway members. to move-them to-r wardand awayvfrom each other; a heatedlong form# ing-iron supportedjfor longitudinal reciprocation irreach-t ofv s'aid'guideway members; a pair of conjugatecams rotatably mounted onthe frame; a pair of links pivotally mounted onthe frame, one of said links being a drive link whichl has a free end and each of said links having a cam follower engaged with one of saidyconjugatecams;

link-means interconnecting said pair of links, said cams; l

links and link means cooperating to move/the free end of the v-drive'link generally longitudinally of the-framel in a forwardy stroke at elfectively'the same speed as books inthe-conveyor, and in a return stroke; Va longitudinal slideway on said frame;'a slider member-1 on said slide-y way; a link connectingthefree-end of said drive linkv to said slider member; and a link operatively connecting said slider member to each joint forming iron, said actuating means and said conjugate cams being coordinated to close-the formingirons on Jthe hinge areas of. books in the conveyor means early in the forward stroke and retract them nea-r the end of said stroke.

8. In'a machine for lforming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book gripping conveyor means for moving casedY booksk vcontinuously forward through said.'

frameg'with; their hinge areas. exposed -in longitudinal alignment; upper and lower toggle linkageson the frame; a vlongitudinally extending straight guideway member carriedV on each of said toggle linkages, said guideway members being parallel and flanking the conveyor; actuating meanson the frame for conjointly extending and collapsing said toggle linkages; a heated, long forming iron supported for longitudinal 'reciprocation in each of said guideway members, said irons being coplanarv with thehinge areas of books in the conveyor; a longitudinal slideway on said frame; a slider member on said slideway;,slider actuating means to reciprocatesaid slider member on tbe slidewayin a forward stroke at elfectively thesame speed as books in the conveyor, and in a return stroke; and a link operatively connecting said slider `member to each jointforming-iron, said actuating means andgsaid slider actuating means being coordinatedlto close the forming irons on the hinge areas of books" in theconveyor means early in the forward stroke and retract-them near the end of said stroke.

9. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book Igripping conveyor means for moving Vcased bookscontinuously forward through said frame with their hinge,l areas exposed in longitudinal alignment;.. a plurality of upper toggle linkages mountedV on the' frame with 'their toggle joints longitudinally aligned; a plurality of lower toggleflinkages mountedon the frame with their toggle joints longitudinally aligned; a longitudinally ,extending straight -guidewayv member -carried on each vof s`aid`t'oggle linkages, said guideway members being parallel and a'nking the conveyor; upper and lower connecting 4rods'pivotally connected, respectively, to the hinge :joints of saidjupper and lower toggle linkages; actuating. means on the frame operatively connected-to said connecting rods 'for conjointly extending and..col lapsing said togglelinkagexa heated, long formingiron supported for longitudinal.reciprocation ini-each of said guideway members; a pairiof -conjugate cams rotatably mounted on the frame; a pair of links pivotally mounted on the' frame, one of said links beinga drive link which has a free end and each of saidllinks having a cam .follower engaged with 'onetof said Aconjugatecams; link means interconnecting :saidlpair-,ofi links,csaid cams, links and link means cooperatingV to move thefreeend of the dri've link generally" longitudinally of the frame in V.a forward stroke atjelfectively the same speed as. books in the` conveyor, `and in a return stroke; and means operativelyconnecting'the' free'endV of said drive link to the jointformingirons to reciprocate vthem'in said guideway members,:said actuatingfmeans :and said; conjugate camsv being coordinated to close the forming ,irons on the hinge areas of books in the conveyor means early ini the forwardstrokeandretractathernnear the end of said stroke.

10.52111 amachineiffor' forming hinge` joints in cased lthe framezwithV their toggle'joints longitudinally aligned;

a plurality of lower-A toggle linkages mounted on the frame withL their toggle joints longitudinally aligned; a longitudinally extending. straight guideway member carried on each of said-toggle linkages, said guideway members be- '.ing parallel and llanking the conveyor; upper and lower connectingrodspivotally-connected, respectively, to the hinge` joints of said upper and lower toggle linkages; upper and lower driven rotary cam members operatively connected, respectively, to-fsaid Aupper and lower connecting rodsfor conjointly extending and collapsing said toggle linkages; a heated;y long forming iron supported for longitudinalreciprocation in each of said guideway members; andcam and link means on said frame operatively connected to the joint forming irons to reciprocate'themV longitudinally` in a forward stroke at effectively thev same speed-aslbooks in the conveyor, and in a return stroke; said -actuating means and said cam and link means being coordinated to close the forming irons on the hinge areas of books in the conveyor means early in the forward stroke and retract them near the end of said stroke.

ll. In a machine for forming hinge joints in cased books: a frame; book gripping conveyor means for moving casedbooks continuously forward through said frame with'their vhinge areas exposed in longitudinal alignment; a plurality of fupper toggle linkages mounted on the frame with their toggle joints longitudinally aligned; a plurality of lower toggle linkages mounted on the frame with their-'toggle joints longitudinally aligned; a f longitudinally extending A straight guideway member carried oneach'ofsaid toggle linkages, said guideway members being parallel and'anking the conveyor; upper and lower connecting Vrods pivotally connected, respectively, to the hinge joints of' said upper and lower toggle linkages; upper and lower driven rotary cam members operatively connected; respectively, to said upper and lower-*connecting rods forconjointly extending and collapsing said togglelinkages; a heated, long joint forming ironsupported-for longitudinal reciprocation .in each of said guidewavmembers; a pair'of conjugate cams rotatablymountedon vthe frame; a pair of links pivotally mounted onA the frame, one of'said links being a drive link which has a free end and each of saidlinks having a cam follower engaged with one'of said conjugate cams; link-means interconnecting said pair of links, said cams, links and link means cooperating to move the free end of the drive link generally longitudinally of the frame in a forward stroke at effectively the same speed as books inthe conveyor, and Vin, a return stroke; and means operatively connecting the free end-of said drive link to thek jointf'forming-irons'toreciprocate'them in said guideway members,said actuatingmeans and said conjugate cams being coordinated -toclo'sethe forming irons on` the hinge areas ofbooks in the conveyor means early in the forward stroke and-retract themnear theend of said stroke.

121'Ir1`l a machinelforvforrning hingejjoints'in casedV books:L a frame; book' gripping conveyor means: for moving cased-books continuouslyforward through'said frame with thei-r hingeareascxposed'in longitudinal alignment; a pairof spaced; parallel longitudinally extending straight guideway members `flanking the conveyor; actuating means for reciprocating said guideway members-simultaneously towardv and away from saidhinge areas; a joint forming iron supported for .longitudinal reciprocation in each ofl said guideway members, said irons being co- 

